To Burn Her Dread
by Grunt8999
Summary: Ever since she was young, Taylor had an imaginary friend who told cool stories and talked about magic cards. Of course she knew he wasn't real, but he reassured her, made her feel important. He truly believed in her and her dreams, never laughing at her, only encouraging. Why can't she get rid of him, even after all these years? "I'll always be by your side Taylor. Always."
1. Chapter 1-Burn My Dread

**Ryoji, ie Death incarnate, in the Wormverse seemed like a good idea. Now I feel like people are going to ask when Ryoji is going to be Nyx. I guess I'll write it soon?**

 _"Have I ever told you the story of how my friend saved the world?" Taylor glanced at her friend in the yellow scarf as she drew, shaking her head at his question. "Ah, then this is going to take a while." Taylor screamed as she pushed the locker door with all her might, but the door didn't give. "He was quite uncaring, though that was my doing." He scratched the back of his head as he gave a weak smile. Taylor nodded, still focusing on her drawing of her friend, but was listening._

"Please help me." Taylor sobbed from the stench, the grime, the darkness. She felt so helpless, so alone. Why did she abandon him? Did he hate her for that? _"-but he denied my offer, and instead went to fight off Death herself." Taylor had stopped drawing long ago and was keenly listening to his words, her eyes sparkling. "With the friends he made throughout the year, he fought off the impending doom, but only for a little bit. I don't know what happened after, but-you remember my lesson on the Arcana, right?"_

 _He was quick to remind Taylor of the mysterious cards and what they represent, but she remembered._ "If I'm Death, then why...?" Her sobs had stopped from what felt like hours of crying, and her face hurt. Why did she deserve this? _"He used the power of the Universe to save the world. He created the seal to stop the death of everything, at the cost of his life." His smile was weird, Taylor thought. He looked sad while smiling._

 _"Is he lonely?' He perked up at her question before mulling it over. Then, after what felt like forever for Taylor, he answered. "He has the bonds of his friends to keep him company, so no, I say he isn't." He closed his eyes as he hummed a song she was unfamiliar with._

"Ryoji...please..." _"I want to be like him, I want to be someone who saves the world!" Ryoji opened his eyes before looking at her in surprise. "Truly? After what I had said, you want to follow in his footsteps?" Taylor nodded as her friend began thinking. Before Ryoji could say anything, Emma came into her room and began pulling on Taylor's arm. "Stop talking to yourself Taylor! I want to go to the park. Let's go!" "Wait, Ryoji was about to say something!" "It's alright Taylor, I'll tell you later. Have fun at the park." Ryoji smiled at Taylor before she began running down the stairs, barely seeing Ryoji disappearing into dust._

"I'M SORRY!" She didn't mean to, but she rejected her only friend who was with her the entire time. "What do I do?!"

 _Taylor cried in the stall at school as Ryoji tried to console her, but had no success ."Leave me alone! You're not real!" She cried out as Ryoji looked down. "Taylor, I'm-" "Why? Why are you still here? Am I crazy, or am I a freak? Am I just like they said?" Sniffling, Taylor adjusted her glasses before Ryoji smiled._ "You're no freak Taylor, you are completely normal." _He_ _handed her his yellow scarf. "Always remember me with this scarf. Take it, I don't need it after all." He smiled before opening the stall. As he walked out, he stopped, saying a "Oh right!" before turning to her. "You are Death, Taylor, stay strong. Burn your dread and face the world, and live. Live with the determination to face your adversaries, and become a hero. I believe in you after all." He smiled before he exited the bathroom._

"Burn my dread...Ryoji...you liar." She brushed her tears as Taylor accepted her fate of being stuck, going to die alone in the darkness of her own locker. "I can never be a hero."

She closed her eyes, but it didn't make a difference to the dark, yet she could feel a warmth throughout her body. She felt...acceptance. _-bond has matured...final form...atos._

Suddenly, the door of the locker was lurched open, causing Taylor to crash out of it. She shivered as she fell onto the dirty floor, the coldness of the floor giving her goosebumps, but someone already took her arm. "I got you Taylor." She let the familiar person pick her up, her eyes growing heavy as she gripped the yellow scarf on her neck. "You came back." She mumbled out, and Ryoji gave a smile. "I was always with you Taylor." He smiled as he turned away, his face becoming skull-like, his body growing darker. "This is unsightly, but it doesn't matter, since it's you. Let's go home." Taylor ignored the warpness of her friend's voice, nodding to his instructions as she put all her weight into his arms. He was cold, but a lot warmer than the locker and the floor. Taylor liked this cold. "I'll protect you. I'll make sure to not have you harmed ever again, that I promise. After all..." From her sleep, Taylor gave a small smile.

 _Thou art I, I am Thou_

 _Thou's bond has matured, completing the Death Arcana,_

 _And with it is the ultimate power._

 _From this nurtured bond cometh the final form of thy Persona,_

 _Thanatos, the God of Death._

 _".._.You are the reason my life is worth anything, Taylor _._ I'll always be by your side, always."

 **No Minato, no OP Wild Card, only the power of friendship with death himself. This really isn't an Alt!Power Taylor since she didn't get a power, except getting Ryoji tangible. Gonna continue on this fic actually, since it was fun writing it. Yay, finally something not a one-shot!**


	2. Chapter 2-The Voice Someone Calls

**Chapter 2, and in Worm fashion, escalation and fusion.**

"Hm hm hmmm, hmhumhm." Ryoji hummed as he walked besides Taylor, who was going to school the day after her dream of her stuck in her disgusting locker. "Can you stop that?" Taylor mumbled as she stopped in front of her campus. Ryoji gave a surprised face, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion. "But I thought you liked my humming." Taylor slightly blushed before immediately walking inside the school, Ryoji, who was pouting, in tow.

"Taylor, I'm hurt. Don't you like it?" Taylor ignored this as she begun to get to her locker as Ryoji phases through the multiple students milling about in the hallway.

"I can't really talk right now when there's so many-AH!" Taylor murmured to Ryoji as she opened her locker before she was pushed aside.

The locker door opened from the sheer force of filthy grime, bugs, and encrusted tampons that was in the locker. Taylor looked at her locker with fear and surprise as she trembled on the floor. _'That dream, was real?'_

Laughter echoed the halls as students crowded her and her locker. Taylor shook as she picked herself up until she heard three _very_ familiar voices. _'Not now.'_

Even when the bell rung, the crowd stilled loosely formed around her, several students parting ways as the trio of bullies walked up to her. Taylor closed her eyes, hoping this all was just a bad dream and she would wake up on her bed without even- "Taylor, what _did_ you do to your locker?"

Opening her eyes, she saw Emma give a mocking look of concern as Sophia and Madison had smirks on their faces. Just as Emma stepped forward, Ryoji stood in front of her, his back facing towards her as he faced the Trio.

"Taylor, do you want help? Or do you want to do this yourself?" "Please help me Ryoji." Taylor mumbled. Emma laughed loudly as she faced the other two, who were chuckling at the encounter. "Look at the freak who still believes in imaginary friends." Sophia shook her head as she stepped forward. "Pathetic as always, and you can't even be normal. Why are you here Hebert? Why won't you _leave_?"

In Taylor's mind, something cracked, and a familiar coldness surrounded her body. "To be fair, she doesn't really want to be here either." Ryoji's voice echoed the hallway as he shimmered into view, leaning on a locker next to Taylor's. He glanced down at her locker before shaking his head in disgust. Sophia frowned as she stepped away from Taylor and faced him, a hand on her hip. "And who are you supposed to be? A bodyguard?" Ryoji smiled as he swept his hand through his air and gave a wink to the dispersing crowd of students. "I'm Ryoji Mochizuki." Glancing at Emma, he gave a wave. "Hey Emma, it's been awhile. How have you been?" "W-Wha-?"

Putting a hand in his pocket, Ryoji took a step forward towards Sophia, slowly losing his smile as his eyes narrowed. "It's awfully rude to try and hurt my friend you know. Though honestly, I've done some pretty bad things to my friends too." Shrugging, he walked to Taylor until he stood next to her, folding his arms to chest as smiled at the Trio.

"We're going to be late to class you know." Taking Taylor's hand, he led her away from the three, giving a wink to them. "See you all later~" "Ryoji..." Taylor started to speak just as they both stopped around the corner. Heaving a large sigh, Ryoji wiped off the nonexistent sweat off his brow. "Man! That was hard, I thought I was going to die of embarrassment if they tried something." "Wait, _you_ were scared of _them_?" Ryoji gave Taylor a surprised look. "Weren't you?"

Taylor felt herself blush as Ryoji winced at something. Facing her, he put a hand on her head, giving her a reassuring smile. "Taylor, I'm going to have to leave for a bit, but I'll be back before you leave school. I have to deal with something." She wanted to say something, maybe to try and talk to him about what happened last night, and why he was suddenly real. Yet, while she should worry about all those questions, she strangely felt at peace. Nodding, Taylor gave a smile to Ryoji as he shimmered out of existence. Taking a breath, Taylor remembered his words. "Come on Taylor, burn your dread." Turning to the empty hallway, she walked to class.

* * *

Opening his eyes to this plain of existence, he had to flinch from the wrongness of this place. He felt someone penetrate through his defenses, and he'd be damned if he couldn't protect the seal.

The fog obscured his path until it cleared at the junction, and there he saw it. A golden figure stood in front of the doors, speaking softly at the guardian.

Preparing himself, he shed his coffins from his skin, slowly walking towards the both of them.

"-cure for death. But I will set you free young one." The golden figure spoke words that suggested escape, and he had to be angry at the false hope he gave to his friend.

Annoyance.

"You refuse? I am led to believe humans would want to be free from anything strenuous, and are-"  
Sarcasm.

"I don't understand." He chuckled before sending his coffins back into his spine, flinching at the pain from their submersion. Shaking his head, he spoke. "He lost everything to protect humanity. He's not going to try and abandon his duty because a random person decided to say so." Ryoji gave a toothy grin and pointed at the statue, making sure his friend was able to hear it perfectly.

"He already has a cute girl visiting him now and again, so he's probably annoyed that you're not said girl."

Denial, annoyance, and a hint of happiness.

"Who are you?" The golden figure tilted his head at Ryoji, who blinked in surprise.

"Me?" Pointing at himself, Ryoji raised his eyebrow. "You're the one who blasted in here. Who are you? You don't just come to the crack of time and try to make conversation with the messiah."

More annoyance. Ryoji already knew what Minato was trying to say; " _Stop calling me Messiah, I'm not Jesus."_

The golden figure blinked, nonplussed at Ryoji's words. "I am Scion. And with the two of you talking by emotion rather than words, I believe you two are friends?" Ryoji nodded. "Yeah, he's one of my friends, though he has a bad habit of being a playboy." Ryoji sniffed and gave a whimper as Minato started to emote.

Denial Denial Denial Denial.

"He even tried to add me to his harem you know. I wouldn't put it past him if he tried to add you too." Ryoji grinned as he could already feel Minato's anger. Four cards appeared in his head, but Ryoji shook his head. "It's a joke you know. But seriously, you didn't answer my question. Why are you-?"

A tremor shook the plane of existence as a dark miasma leaked through the doors. "Is that supposed to happen?" Scion asked, but Ryoji ignored him as he already was running back to reality. He felt Minato's pain, and the one emotion he didn't think his friend would emote.

Fear.

* * *

Taylor tried to keep her eyes open as Mr. Gladly lectured in her World Issues class, but even with the joy that Ryoji will come back corporeal, she was bored.

It surprised her, but in the last few classes the Trio ignored her. She was slightly paranoid, but Sophia only threw a sneer at her once, so maybe they were intimidated by Ryoji? She'll take what she can get. "Ryoji has been gone for awhile, what is he doing?"

"Okay, you all group up for why the politics between-" Mr. Gladly was interrupted as the room trembled. "Everyone down!" As the students climbed under their desks, Taylor saw what was outside the window. "What...is that?"

The moon hung low, even when it was barely past noon, and the sky was a sickly green. Taylor looked around to find her fellow students afraid, a few starting to run away from the classroom as the entire room was silent.

"This is just like..." Taylor remembered that specific night in her dreams, where the world was about to end. "Ryoji, where are you?"

 _The Hour returns, fierce as ever, and far more terrifying. That of the Death Arcana, what shall you do in the face of this adversary?_

 ** _Like that, canon will be shook, sometimes be recognizable, but mostly everything else will have a new coat of paint. Sorry about the slow update, I will try to get chapter 3 out before Halloween, that I promise._**


	3. Chapter 3-Mass Destruction

**Sorry about the lateness. College is being difficult, but hey, better late than ever. And thanks to those who stuck here long enough to read sorry about the delay.**

* * *

The green sky covered the entire city of Brockton Bay, leaving many of its inhabitants in a panic as globs of black sludge began erupting from the floors of sidewalks and walls of buildings. As panic ensued, the black sludge began to pile onto each other as blood began raining down the city.

Taking a humanoid form, the shadow opened its eyes as fire erupted the streets. Red skin grew just as a flaming sword was created in its hands in a blaze of fire, it's eyes honing in on one location. Standing up from its kneeling position, the shadow walked, slashing its sword at everything in its wake.

* * *

Ryoji heard the sirens ring through the air as he materialized next to Taylor, who was hiding under a chair. Turning her head, Taylor's felt relief washing through her, until her dread returned. "Ryoji, an Endbringer-the sky is green! Is-?!" Ryoji knew what she was thinking, and even he didn't know what was happening. "We have to leave Taylor, it's too dangerous."

Taylor looked confused before Ryoji grabbed her wrist and pulled, almost dragging her out of the classroom. Another earthquake shook the school, causing the rest of the students to exit their stupor and began to run out of the room. Stumbling through the sudden influx of students, Ryoji kept a tight grip on Taylor as he felt something in his core quiver.

"Ryoji, we've got to get my dad! He's still at work, he could be-" "He's not." Ryoji cut Taylor's dark thoughts as he tried to calmly breathe. "I can tell you that, he's not dead." Shaking his head, he let go of Taylor. "But we will be if we don't leave. Taylor, I don't know much, but if my guess is correct-!"

The hallway was packed when the Dark Hour started as the students and faculty started to evacuate from the school, but dark sludge began materializing through the cracks of the walls and lockers, occupying the hallway. Students began to scream as taylor grew pale from the implications of the appearance of the shadows.

"It's the end of the world. It's Nyx, isn't it?" She turned to Ryoji, who was trembling. "No, it's something else." Replying to Taylor, Ryoji remembered the words he used back at Tartarus. _The Arcana are the means for which all is revealed._ Ryoji snapped his fingers before he continued. "Right, Taylor, I'll tell you this later, but I need you to use those dreams of yours to combat any shadows."

Ryoji's body shimmered as he appeared in his true form. Unsheathing his sword, he gently passed it to Taylor. "There is something much larger than these shadows, like one of those Endbringers. I need you to kill the lesser shadows to protect the students. Be careful." Ryoji's warped voice echoed through Taylor's head before she spoke with slight confidence. "I understand." Taylor tightly gripped the sword in her hands in anger and fear before the shadows all began converging onto the students. Lifting his hand, Ryoji roared. "Let's go Taylor!" Two shadows quivered before the black sludge washed off them, revealing two white lions attached to a chain and ball.

Taylor sharply inhaled before stumbling to the opposite end of the hall, clumsily holding the sword with both hands as she began running to the other shadows while avoiding the panicked teenagers running in the other direction. Ryoji growled as the two shadow lions before him roared, their mouths exuding smoke. Fire erupted from their maws, the flames aiming towards Ryoji as he conjured a purple flame in his hand.

Strafing to the right to avoid the stream of flames, he grabbed onto a nearby locker door before ripping it from its hinges. As the shadows began opening their maws once more, Ryoji threw the locker door at one shadow, lunging forward as the door hit the lion. "GRAH!" Skidding backwards, the lion stumbled before falling into a heap. Before the other shadow could react, Ryoji plunged his white gloved hand in the shadows side. A seal appeared under it before purple fire encased the shadow as it roared in pain, the fire melting its hide off of its body.

Slashing downwards on the pile of shadows, Taylor panted at the physical exertion as she lifted the blade. Looking to her side, she saw another shadow forming through a locker door, its red eyes glaring at her. Tightening her awkward grip on the sword, she thrusted it into the shadow's forehead, causing it to disintegrate into mist. Turning to Ryoji, she saw him prepare a set of rectangular slips of paper around him. As he finished his preparation, Ryoji aimed his palm at the downed shadow. Paper seals began surrounding the downed shadow before the seals glowed with a holy power, dispersing the lion into a mass of black sludge.

Exhaling a sigh, Ryoji turned to his friend, who was trying to inhale enough oxygen to her exhausted muscles. "We aren't done yet." Ignoring the silent stares of the hiding students, Ryoji raised his arm to a nearby window. Smashing a hole through, Ryoji looked back at Taylor before nodding. "Let's go."

* * *

"He's not letting up!" Velocity shouted as he led the Endbriner away from the buildings. The entity exhaled before it plunged its sword into the street. Magma erupted from the asphalt, causing the heroes of the Protectorate to retreat once again. "Damn it, where's the other parahumans!?" Armsmaster growled out as he updated the Endbringer's information, slashing at several surrounding shadows with his halberd.

"Reinforcements are arriving, but-" Dragon was interrupted as multiple men came running out of an alleyway, their guns blazing at the humanoid shadow. "Guns don't work on it!" Miss Militia yelled out to what looked like members of the E88 gang, but it was too late.

The shadow roared in fury, summoning a dome of flames around it that exploded, killing the men instantly. The asphalt began to boil as the magma began slowly traveling down the street. "This is ridiculous!/This thing is the opposite of Leviathan!" Armsmaster ignored the concerns of his teammates as he calculated the Endbringer's powers.

"Dragon…I'm going alone on this." Gritting his teeth, Armsmaster narrowed his eyes under his helmet. Ignoring the concerns of his team, he ran ahead to the Endbringer, his halberd held high. The Endbringer howled before slashing downwards, a trail of fire following the blade. Jumping to the left, Armsmaster thrusted his halberd at the Endbringer's side, ducking as he narrowly dodged a wave of flames that passed over his head. Bringing his weapon back, Armsmaster stepped back before the flaming entity roared. Bringing its sword up, it glared at Armsmaster before an animalistic roar echoed the streets.

The Endbringer quivered before it glowed purple before bringing its sword down, the glow quickly disappearing as it turned on its heel. The nearby shadows glowed purple before becoming encased in purple flames, surprising the Protectorate. Another animalistic roar was heard, so loud that it made even the Endbringer shudder. Before he could reconvene with his teammates, Armsmaster saw a dark being land in front of the red opponent, holding a girl in his arms. The newcomer panted for breath before it spoke, its warped voice causing his body to revolt from the _wrongness_ of its voice.

" _Surt…_ "

Ryoji dropped Taylor on her feet, hiding her behind him as he growled at the Shadow. Though he knew the Persona's power and its Arcana, Ryoji couldn't underestimate this being. It was created by an unbreakable bond and nurtured as a manifestation of thought that was able to rival the harbinger of Death's power. Keeping his friend behind him, he prepared a ball of energy as the Persona-like Shadow grew closer to him, it's sword glowing brighter than before.

The two beings stared each other down, the tension between them almost palpable. Ignoring the other humans, Ryoji let loose his power. Focusing his almighty energy to Surt, he let loose a guttural scream as the opposing entity roared. Grabbing Taylor with one arm, Ryoji leapt over Surt as it swung its sword that was aimed for his neck. "Ryoji!-!" Ignoring his friend, Ryoji aimed his other hand at the Persona, his hand glowing with a greenish-red energy before the energy surrounded Surt. Dropping down near the other humans, Ryoji pushed his friend to the nearest human before he flew into the sky.

Surt roared as it's flames became colder, its strength noticeably decreasing. Ryoji growled as he created a bow in his hands before pulling the string, a golden arrow already nocked. Before he could release the arrow his body erupted into flames.

"GRAAAAAHHH!" Pain! Ryoji winced as the heat began to flay his skin, his body becoming scorched in the ragnarok of fire as his bow dissipated. As he struggled with the flames he felt a major pain on his back, interrupting his flight. Falling down to the asphalt, his form shimmered from the impact and both the fire and pain in his back. Ignoring Surt's landing, Ryoji picked himself up off the ground, his black cloak growing darker from the ichor that leaked from his body. Surt set his sword ablaze once more, his form getting closer to Ryoji. "Ha, ha. Not..yet." Panting in pain, he murmured his resolve before Ryoji dipped his energy into his bond with Taylor.

 **Death! Destroy! Harvest! KILL!**

"I am thou…" Ryoji's mental barriers fell before he succumbed himself to Taylor's Ultimate Persona. Surt, feeling the sudden change in power, shot a pillar of flames from his outstretched hand, but it was too late.

" **And thou art I!"** Thanatos howled to the green skies before coffins emerged from his back. Each coffin held an image of an angel, all ten attached by chains that connected to Thanatos's arms. Tightly gripping the chain, Thanatos thrusted its coffins in front itself as the fires of Surt impacted the black makeshift shields. With its free hand, Thanatos converged all its power into a single spell before it aimed it's hand at Surt. Growling in excitement, it fired off the ball of almighty energy, bathing the world in a corona of light.

* * *

"Get away from here! Now! There's-" "Holy Shit!" Multiple screams surrounded Taylor, but she knew her friend wouldn't harm her or humans. " _...Well, not me at least."_ Taylor amended as she remembered how dangerous and protective Ryoji can be. Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes before she felt confusion. " _That was...dark."_

The light slowly faded from everyone's eyes, revealing Thanatos profusely bleeding and reveling in the black blood of Surt as the Shadow's body was bisected from the stomach down. Panting in a deep excitement, Thanatos reached its free hand to the still alive Surt's neck. Growling, he clenched its neck before squeezing. Surt shuddered as it's red form began to blacken, its power leaving its body as Thanatos squeezed tighter. Black sludge bubbled from Surt before the harbinger of Death roared in outrage. Clawing the shadow's form, Thanatos pulled the blackened organs and flesh from the dead shadow, squeezing each handful of the flesh before reaching for another.

Taylor grew green as she saw the display, her stomach uncomfortably moving at the disgusting sight. Before she could think her body moved to the bloody form of Thanatos, her arms reaching around it as it continued its desecration. "Ryoji, that's enough! You won!" Taylor yelled at the figure, tears forming in her eyes. "If you don't stop, I'll...I'll take away your storytime privileges!" Taylor's face grew red at the weak threat, but she felt her friend stop moving. "Ha!" Letting go of her friend, she gripped her head as she felt something crack in her mind.

 _Thou art I._

Ryoji groaned before turned around towards Taylor, gently wrapping his dirtied arms around her.. "I'm sorry." His warped apology was interrupted as the fatigue began setting itself upon his body, the green sky fading to return to its dull blue as he felt his power growing weaker. Standing up, he saw the parahumans regard him in what looked like fear and surprise. "Time to inform the masses." Ryoji chuckled as white steam began emitting from its body.

No one said a word at the figure as it turned towards them, it's form emitting steam as it slowly walked towards them. Armsmaster gritted his teeth as he clenched his halberd, Miss Militia forming rocket launchers in her arms before the rest of the PRT and gang members began another battle against the being. Stopping a few scant meters away from the parahumans, the white and black figure spoke. "It matters not who you are, Death awaits you. Yet, if you desire life...heed my warning. Prepare yourselves humans-this is not the last time you will see the Dark Hour."

The figure exploded into smoke, relieving the parahumans as Taylor gave a small smile. "You didn't have to be that dramatic." She murmured, glancing at the figure only she can see next to her. Ryoji smiled as he tried to readjust his yellow scarf, refraining from moving too much as his shirt was dyed in more blood from his wounds "To be fair, I had to say something to them. It's not like I could leave them hanging."

Taylor's relief only lasted a few seconds before a heavy grip landed on her shoulder. Looking behind her, her eyes widened as she saw the face of a bandanna-wearing hero. "Excuse me miss, but can you come with us?" Taylor's face grew pale before she whipped her head back at Ryoji, who only shrugged at her as he gestured his body. "S-Sure Miss Militia." Miss Militia's face scrunched up as she gave a smile behind her bandanna. "Don't worry, it won't take long."

 **Chapter 4 is within the works, and with the break, the next chapter should be written faster. Hope you enjoyed the read.**


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